Loen (Norway)

Loen is a small port village in Norway's Nordfjord District (Vestland County, Stryn Municipality) with population under 500. The port is located at Nordfjorden's easternmost end, and approx 6 km (4 mi) north of Olden and approx 11 km (7 mi) southeast of Stryn. To the southeast is Lovatnet Lake.

As cruise port, Loen is the stop from where is offered bus tour travel to the Kjenndalsbreen Glacier. Sized approx 19 km2 (7 mi2), the glacier is a branch of Jostedalsbreen/Jostedal Glacier and part of the Jostedalsbreen National Park (highest peak Lodalskapa is 2083 m / 6834 ft above sea level). The cruise company that most often includes Loen in its ships' schedules is Lindblad Expeditions. Another popular brand that occasionally visits the village is Ponant.

Loen Skylift (2017-opened/inaugurated by Norway's Queen Sonja) is an aerial tramway/gondola lift that departs from Loen to reach Mt Hoven (height 1011 m / 3317 ft). The lift's max speed is 7 m/s (23 ft/s) and the cable car's highest vertical ascent/above ground is 170 m (560 ft). In 2017, Loen Skylift served around 92000 tourists.

By length (106 km / 66 mi), Nordfjorden is Norway's 14th-longest fjord (mainland Norway's 6th-longest) - following Sognefjord (205 km), Hardangerfjord (179 km), Vestfjorden and Vestfjorden-Nordkapp (155 km), Storfjorden-Svalbard (132 km), Trondheimsfjord (130 km), Porsangerfjorden (123 km), Lyngenfjorden (121 km), Kvaenangen (117 km), Storfjorden-More og Romsdal and Ullsfjord-Troms (110 km), Wijdefjorden (108 km), and Isfjorden-Svalbard (107 km).

Nordfjorden can be accessed only by boats and ships, including regularly scheduled ferries leaving from Anda (to Lote), Isane (to Starheim) and Maloy/Vagsoy Island (to Oldeide, also stopping at Husevagoy Island). The shore excursion designed for cruise tourists includes a morning visit to the fjord, bus transportation to Loen Valley, a stop at Lake Lovatnet and visiting Kjenndal Glacier. To more adventurous travelers are offered trailing and hiking options. The excursion ends in the late-afternoon.